Medication adherence to inflammatory bowel disease medications in Aotearoa New Zealand and correlation with health outcomes: A nationwide database analysis.

Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management entails long-term medication therapy. Worse disease outcomes and reduced quality of life might arise from poor medication adherence (MA). This study is the first to investigate patients with IBD's adherence across Aotearoa New Zealand and its relationship with disease outcomes.

Improving Medication Adherence Levels in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Patients: A Narrative Evidence-Based Review.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management is typified by a long-term medication regimen which can comprise multiple medications prescribed in different combinations, doses, frequencies, and with various administration routes. This complexity can make medication adherence (MA) - patients taking their medications per the prescription - for patients with IBD a challenge. The research corpus contains diverse interventions aimed at improving MA in patients with IBD.

Using electronic health records in analysing medication adherence in southern New Zealand patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Aims: Electronic health records (EHRs) are widely used in medication adherence (MA) assessment. Poor adherence in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can lead to worse disease outcomes and increased health costs. This study explores the suitability of southern New Zealand EHRs for estimating adherence, and the relationship between adherence and corticosteroid dispensings (indicating negative disease outcomes).

Career outlook and satisfaction in the presence of workload intensification-a survey of early career pharmacists.

Background: The demographics of the pharmacy workforce is changing with an increased proportion of pharmacists less than 30 years old (early career pharmacists-ECPs). In parallel, the profession has experienced workload intensification and workforce attrition. It is important to understand ECPs career satisfaction to retain this section of the pharmacy profession.

"It's just like putting your socks on": patients' perspectives on inflammatory bowel disease medication adherence.

Background: A careful, often life-long, medication regimen is central to therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - a chronic gut disorder. Hence, medication adherence (MA) - patients taking medications in line with prescription - is important. Previous research indicates that a third of patients with IBD in southern New Zealand have poor medication adherence (MA).

Stress, burnout, and the need for support: a survey of early career pharmacists.

Background: Burnout of health professionals is of concern internationally and the pharmacy profession is no exception. The period of transition from University to autonomous practitioner is recognized to be challenging and these Early Career Pharmacists (ECPs), may be at increased risk of stress and burnout.

Objectives: This study aimed to collect data on the current extent of self-identified stress and burnout, of ECPs, and to (i) identify contributing factors and (ii) identify strategies used to manage this stress.

Constraints on medication-based inflammatory bowel disease therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand-why medication adherence is important.

The therapeutic landscape for treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Aotearoa New Zealand had remained largely unchanged for about a decade; however, just this year, two further biologic medications became available. In an international context, these medications are not exactly new, and several other highly efficacious, modern medications and treatment paradigms are available overseas but not in New Zealand. Medication adherence (MA), alongside factors including (relaxation of) medicines funding criteria, specialist availability, IBD awareness in primary healthcare etc.

Proton pump inhibitor use: systematic review of global trends and practices.

Purpose: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) reduce acid secretion in the stomach and rank as one of the most widely used acid-suppressing medicines globally. While PPIs are safe in the short-term, emerging evidence shows risks associated with long-term use. Current evidence on global PPI use is scarce.

Disparities in utilisation of combined oral contraceptives in Aotearoa New Zealand: A cross-sectional whole-of-population study.

Aims: The combined oral contraceptive (COC) is the most commonly used hormonal contraceptive in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa/NZ). Currently there is limited data available on who uses COC in Aotearoa/NZ. The aims were to (i) define the population of reproductive-aged females in Aotearoa/NZ in 2018 and identify the rate of COC use among this group and (ii) describe the sociodemographic and geographic characteristics of the population of COC users compared to the general population of reproductive-aged females in 2018.

Understanding the factors influencing prescriber uptake of pharmacist recommendations in secondary care.

Background: Pharmacists are increasingly recognized as medication experts who can bring much to clinical teams and decision making. The inclusion of a pharmacist into a multidisciplinary team, including ward rounds, can be sporadic in some settings, meaning pharmacists are not always present at the point of decision making. In this way, subsequent recommendations may not always be adopted.

Adherence to Inflammatory Bowel Disease Medications in Southern New Zealand.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) require continuous clinical management; poor medication adherence may result in worse disease outcomes and increased healthcare costs. This study investigated medication adherence and associated risk factors in IBD patients.

Methods: Otago (New Zealand) IBD patients were mailed questionnaires on demographics, medication-taking behavior, and a validated Probabilistic Medication Adherence Scale (ProMAS).

A mixed methods study on medicines information needs and challenges in New Zealand general practice.

Background: Medicines are central to healthcare in aging populations with chronic multi-morbidity. Their safe and effective use relies on a large and constantly increasing knowledge base. Despite the current era of unprecedented access to information, there is evidence that unmet information needs remain an issue in clinical practice.

Therapeutic errors captured by the New Zealand National Poisons Centre: a retrospective audit.

INTRODUCTION Medication errors are one important cause of harm to patients. Information about medication errors can be obtained from diverse sources, including databases administered by poisons centres as part of their routine operation. AIM The aim of this study was to describe the data regarding therapeutic errors captured by the New Zealand National Poisons Centre (NZNPC).

Pharmacists' views and desires regarding pharmacist administration of vaccines in New Zealand.

Objectives: To explore pharmacists' views and experiences of pharmacist-administered vaccinations, motivators and barriers to pharmacists administering vaccinations and their preferences for expansions to such services.

Methods: All practising pharmacist members (n = 3400) of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand were invited to participate in an online survey in 2017.

Key Findings: A total of 468 pharmacists completed the survey (14%).

Synthetic cannabis: adverse events reported to the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre.

Introduction: Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRA) were legally available in New Zealand (NZ) prior to May 2014. During the period November 2012-November 2019, reports of adverse events associated with SCRA use from across the country were submitted to the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre (NZPhvC). The purpose of this study was to investigate adverse reactions associated with SCRA reported to the NZPhvC.

Clinical pharmacist facilitators in primary care: a descriptive study of their roles and services provided in general practices of southern New Zealand.

INTRODUCTION Internationally, the inclusion of pharmacists into general practice as clinical pharmacy facilitators has improved patient outcomes. However, clinical pharmacists are relatively new to southern New Zealand general practices and their range of services has not been studied. AIMS To describe the implementation of clinical pharmacist services in general practices in the Southern region; to examine the tasks conducted by clinical pharmacy facilitators; and to determine the characteristics of patients who access this service.

Using the Pharmaceutical Collection Database to identify patient adherence to oral hypoglycaemic medicines.

INTRODUCTION Poor adherence to oral hypoglycaemic medicines is a key contributor to therapy failure and sub-optimal glycaemic control among people with type 2 diabetes. It is unclear how commonly non-adherence to oral hypoglycaemics occurs in the general population. This information is essential to design and implement local adherence strategies.

Quality of electronic records documenting adverse drug reactions within a hospital setting: identification of discrepancies and information completeness.

Aim: Incomplete and incorrect documentation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) can restrict prescribing choices resulting in suboptimal pharmaceutical care. This study aimed to examine the quality of information held within electronic systems in a hospital setting, to determine the preciseness of ADR documentation, and identify discrepancies where multiple electronic systems are utilised.

Method: Over a four-week period, consecutive patients admitted to the general medical ward at the study hospital had their electronic profiles reviewed.

District health board of residence, ethnicity and socioeconomic status all impact publicly funded insulin pump uptake in New Zealand patients with type 1 diabetes.

Aims: Insulin pump therapy (CSII) is becoming increasingly common for those living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and has been publicly funded in New Zealand since 2012. The aim of the current study was to examine national uptake of publicly funded pumps from 2012 to 2016, with a focus on the proportion of patients using pumps analysed according to district health board (DHB) as well as demographic characteristics.

Methods: Data from nationally held data collections including the New Zealand Virtual Diabetes Register were used to calculate the overall and subgroup proportions using pumps.

Experiences of pharmacy staff during the introduction of the checking technician role in New Zealand.

Objectives: To investigate the experiences of the participants in a study introducing a Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician (PACT) role, and specifically their perceptions of any advantages and disadvantages.

Methods: Self-administered surveys were distributed during the introduction of a checking technician role in eight community and four hospital pharmacy sites. Surveys were conducted at three time points; at baseline, at mid-point and a final data collection.

Pharmacist supply of sildenafil: pharmacists' experiences and perceptions on training and tools for supply.

Background In 2014, New Zealand reclassified sildenafil (for erectile dysfunction) to allow supply by specially trained pharmacists under strict criteria. Objective The study aimed to determine pharmacists' experiences and perspectives on the training for, and supply of sildenafil under this model. Setting New Zealand community pharmacy.

Beyond the four walls: an exploratory survey of location, employment and roles of pharmacists in primary health care.

INTRODUCTION Recognition of the need to reduce harm and optimise patient outcomes from the use of medicines is contributing to an evolution of pharmacy practice in primary health care internationally. This evolution is changing community pharmacy and leading to new models of care that enable pharmacist contribution beyond traditional realms. There is little information about the extent of these changes in New Zealand.

The influence of pharmacist-led adherence support on glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes.

Background Adherence to treatment is important to achieve target outcomes, particularly for those with type 2 diabetes. Pharmacists are well placed to enhance adherence, however evidence of the impact on clinical outcomes is not well known. Objective To determine the impact of an adherence support service on adherence scores and subsequent clinical biomarkers (HbA1c).